Advice for my first Telescope

[Greek Tony]

Hello All,

I just recently joined SGL and put up my first post on the Welcome forum.

In the next few weeks, after I have increased my Astronomy knowledge and manage to get many Star Gazing hours under my belt, I intend on purchasing my first telescope. I have had a quick browse around on here for reviews, opinions etc plus some other review sites as well as the BBC one. I was thinking of either the SkyWatcher Explorer 130P or the Explorer 200P (EQ5). I know I am new to this however I would like a scope with some scalability, something that I can use later on for imaging and any other beneficial add-ons etc....I don't really want to upgrade too soon. Can anyone advise me please? And the type of Eye Pieces and other Accessories that should be required? Also if there are any other scope makes and models I should be considering as a newbie?

I do want to experiment so I will be reading a lot to get a better understanding on the difference enhancements and accompanying equipment out there. Also I find trial and error is very beneficial to learning and enhancing the experiences. I'm not scared of doing things the wrong way but I do want to make my first Telescope purchase a pleasurable one and not have to change it too soon.

Any help and advice is greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

Tony

[moogoomonkey]

Go for the 200P, it'll stave off the aperture fever for a while longer But no seriously, that is a great scope.

[toilandtrouble123]

For a beginner's, I would say a 130, I'm currently looking at a 150 or 200 for my second scope. Also, ensure that the mount it comes on is sufficient - within a month of getting my first scope, I ditched the mount it came with and invested in a AZ4 steel tripod. I think an EQ3-2 would be better, so if you decide in dabbling in a bit of AP, I don't think an EQ2 would handle the additional weight of a camera. They're quite future-proof too, you can add single or dual motors, goto systems, etc. To start with, the scope should come with maybe 2 eyepieces, and then add a 2x barlow, and then you have 4 different powers to play with. I also have a 3x barlow too, but its up to each person on what they want to buy. Also, buying a 130, gives you more money spend to accessories. HTH

Nat

[Greek Tony]

Thanks for the replies peeps.

Nat, do these scopes not come with a sufficient mount / tripod as standard suitable for the scope or do you mean they're unsuitable when you start adding bits and bobs to them? I'm not intending on imaging for a long while yet, I really want to find myself and get to grips with using the scope and knowing where things are in the sky. What are the main pros for the 200 over the 130 and would i get any resale value for the 130 when / if I come to upgrading? I have seen there is quite a price hike on the 200 over the 130.

Cheers,

T

[Rich MedRev]

Welcome aboard Tony,

You have not outlined two key elements, firstly your budget and secondly your interests, DSO, Planetary or a bit of everything to start with?

you state East London, will you intend to use the scope at home or are you looking to travel to darker skies as portability and set-up time is a key factor in making your choice.

AP is mentioned therefore if you can afford it upfront then atleast the HEQ5 would be a better bet if not an NEQ6, particularly for imaging with a newtonian.

200mm (8") is a useful sized scope and will deliver plenty.

the EP's, fliters etc will depend somewhat on your scope choice and Astro interests. if imaging is going to be high on the agenda then you will want a fast scope and they require good EP's as they are not forgiving with cheaper ones...... not to mention a good coma corrector.

My advice is dont worry about imaging (AP) just yet and go for a good newtonian in the 6 to 8" (150 to 200mm) bracket on one of the mounts above as they will not needed upgrading when the time comes and stick to F5 to F6.5 range for the mirror as that will allow you to get decent mid-range Plossls etc and you can upgrade as time and funds permit.

Alternatively a nice refractor such as the TAL 100RS might be worth a look, particulalry if solar system is more your bag!

[VigdisVZ]

What are the main pros for the 200 over the 130 and would i get any resale value for the 130 when / if I come to upgrading?

Not wanting to insult every 130p user out there, it's a capable scope by all measures.

But by getting the 200p you will most likely get a friend for life, while the 130p is more like a teenage romance, it might last, but chances are that you will outgrow it.

[toilandtrouble123]

Would a 200p be too much like throwing a beginner in at the deep end though? That's my worry. Before I made up my mind about what scope I wanted, I read Philip's Stargazing with a Telescope by Robin Scagell. I have found it invaluable when making my decision about what scope I wanted (asked for a nexstar 127slt, got a 90mm refractor instead but oh well!)

It's your decision, and more experienced people will recommend the 200p, but I'm more or less a beginner myself, and I wouldn't want to feel like I had taken on too much - and so get discouraged - if I got a 200p. As a complete beginner, I would go for a 130, so as to learn the skies and to get to grips with a telescope, before moving onto a bigger scope.

But hey, that's just me.

Nat

[nephilim]

I've also got he 130m scope and as a beginner it suits me very well, it's helped me get to grips with an EQmount & to find my way around the sky, so i agree with Nat on that point, but i've also 'outgrown it' very quickly & i'm already looking for a replcement. As for portability the 130 is excellent (altho i do have a car) I can arrive at a dark sky site & be up & running in 10mins. A 200mm scope is MUCH bigger & not very transport friendly (others may disagree tho) why not go halfway & get the 150p on a EQ3/2 then u can have the best of both worlds as it were?? BTW the EQ2 mount handles the 130m fine IMO but if you start adding any weight to it then you'll start having problems, it is quite flimsy tho but I put a bag of sand on the EP tray which helps alot.

Steve.

[toilandtrouble123]

Just looked, you can get a 150PL on a 3-2 for £315, or go for one on a synscan EQ3 for £580. Single motors are £70, dual are £90 ( I'm going for dual motors, if there is only 20 quid in it between them). The scope comes with 2 eyepieces and a barlow. In other words, you're sorted!

Nat

[Greek Tony]

This is great, thanks everyone for taking time to help and advise me, much appreciated :-)

Rich, cheers, I just replied to you on the Welcome forum, yeah maybe I should have put that info on here too, sorry! Budget isn't really an issue, well when I say that I'm talking about not wanting to spend more than 1k on the scope and all the bits that I need or may need.

I do really want something that I don't have to upgrade soon, when I get my teeth into something I do it properly and learn quickly and this is a boyhood dream hobby so I am going to take this seriously. I totally see what you're saying Nat and many thanks for your comments. I am going to learn my way around the skies with the Binoculars I have purchased and the books / maps I'm reading. So really when I get the scope I should be familiar with the skies and getting around, obviously I won't have any experience with using a scope though.

I do want a scope that can enable me to view the planets in good detail but also further objects, this is my ignorance now, can you get a scope that can achieve viewing both of these well with adding different lens / eye pieces / mounts etc but keeping the same scope? Is it worth me going better for now, get used to the basics then work up using the same scope?

Is Steve's option the way to go, half way with the 150? Is there really that much difference in dimensions and weight going from 130 to 200? Can a 200 be transported OK in a car?

Oooh, decisions decisions!!

Cheers,

T

[Greek Tony]

Cheers Nat, just seen your later reply. Is that what you are going for? What are the advantages on dual over single motors apart from the obvious!??

[bingevader]

These are always quite difficult threads to answer!

Any chance of you getting down to a local club and having a look at what might take your fancy first?

I'm taking both in terms of the types/sizes of 'scopes and also what people are doing with them.

It'll give you a bit more of an idea of what you might like to get into, but also of your expectations of what you can see/do with a particular 'scope.

Observing and imaging are two quite different things and need different equipment.

There's no all-rounder as far as 'scopes are concerned without compromises being made.

Get yourself down to a local club and have a look first.

Cheers

[toilandtrouble123]

Dual motors mean there's one that controls the RA axis, and one that controls the Dec axis. I had plenty of people saying that if everything is all properly lined up, I wouldn't need the Dec motor, that the single RA motor should be fine and minor tweaks should only be needed, but if there is only 20 quid in it between them, well I thought I might as well go for the dual motors. I think having the 150 as a step up from the 90mm refractor I got given 3 years ago, is going to be a fun piece of equipment, and the people who already have it, have said I'll be surprised at what I can actually can out of it.

Nat

[cheb]

My initial thinking when i decided to step up and get a scope recentley was to get a good scope that would get me started, not spend a fortune but also get something i could sell on when i up graded.

I was concerned about not getting out as much now i have to set up before viewing instead of grabbing my bins. So my main thoughts were ease of use and portability, i was going to get a 130 as i knew i could sell it on easily enough to someone starting out and then as i got more settled invest in eye pieces to improve the scope a little, the eye pieces could then come with me to my new scope when the time came.

I ended up finding a secondhand Meade ETX90 with GOTO and a really solid Meade tripod for £270, i got a 2x Barlow straight away as it only had a 26mm eyepice with it and the barlow would make that a 13mm also!

Because i didnt really know how it was going to go when i started out it was hard to get specific with my first buy!

I have used the GOTO once as i now think its cheating and cuts out the chance to learn my way around the sky, i thought that was a good addition when i got the scope but will probs never use it except for tracking occasionally!

I dont think i will actually sell this scope when i upgrade, its infinatley portable, really easy to use and set up so will always be useful for a quicky or a mooch to somewhere else, whereas i think my next buy will be probabley a 10" that wont go anywhere but my garden!!

I also didnt know what i would be viewing until i started viewing!! I now know DSO's is where im heading 9 times out of 10!

I hope i havent confused you!

In short i would buy the 130 and use it as a stepping stone to give you direction for your next scope because when you come to buy your second scope you will really know what you want !!

[Greek Tony]

Cheers bingevader, yes that's very good advice and JamesF over on the welcome forum kindly sent me a link to the Baker Street Irregulars website as I am interested in places to go to where there's less light pollution however it would also be good to go and have a look as you suggested and ask questions. I will definitely look into doing that before a purchase.

I totally understand it all depends on expectations and there will be compromises. I just want a good scope to start off with but can easily upgrade if and when required. I have no problem in upgrading, just didn't want to do this after a few months. Maybe I buy something now that's very good for observing then buy something else later for imaging, if I really want to take that subject seriously.

Ah, that makes sense Nat with the motors, I read that too that about just needing the RA to move but like you say, 20 quid difference is a no brainer.

Cheers,

T

[Sammyb]

I'd go for the most aperture you can afford - assuming you don't have any transport/storage issues. The 200P is a superb scope that will do you a lifetime.

[toilandtrouble123]

Summary: Go with Nephilim's suggestion, the set-up's quite future-proof, you can get the adapters for mounting different imaging equipment, be it ccd, dslr, or afocal, and have a play, discover for yourself what you can get out of it.

You can upgrade your mount by getting the motors (a must for long exposures), and maybe, if you want to, buy the synscan goto system for it at a later date. I'll tell you this, you won't be getting the best pics of far away DSO's with this scope, I think it's going to be a great introduction to that whole separate aspect of astronomy. You can toy around with webcams/afocal for planetary/lunar (I have seen some interesting photos of Jupiter and Saturn done with afocal photography), and if you get the motors, buy a shutter release cable, t-ring and t-adaptor for a dslr, and try capturing some basic clusters and nebulae. That's what I'm aiming to do anyway.

As long as you feel comfortable with your ability to handle the scope, and as long as you have fun, that's all that matters. Do try and find an astronomy group, people more experienced at your side will help you get the most out of your set up, so you can enjoy what you discover more. I have had an invite from my local group, after talking about my first pictures with my dslr, and am looking forward to learn from them and enjoy being in the company of other people who share my interest (friends and work colleagues think I'm a right geek).

And lastly, DO read the books recommended by people on here, such as the Philip's Stargazing with a Telescope, Turn Left At Orion, oh and the Sky At Night magazine!!

Let us know what your decision is.

Nat

[rowan46]

If you have a grand to spend and a pair of bins don't waste your money by getting a starter scope decide where you want to go in astronomy and then go for it 1k on the used market will get you some half decent kit. read a bit more decide what you want to do and then come back and we'll soon spend that grand for you on a kit that really suits your needs. If I had a grand to spare and the lifelong interest I wouldn't be spending a £150 of it on a starter scope.

[Rich MedRev]

If you have a grand to spend and a pair of bins don't waste your money by getting a starter scope decide where you want to go in astronomy and then go for it 1k on the used market will get you some half decent kit. read a bit more decide what you want to do and then come back and we'll soon spend that grand for you on a kit that really suits your needs. If I had a grand to spare and the lifelong interest I wouldn't be spending a £150 of it on a starter scope.

Sound advice here Tony

make your mind up as to what you want to look at and whether you will be serious about dipping into AP at some stage which will require a good mount beyond all else and scour the s/h marketplace accordingly.

I still favour the HEQ5 as a min mount for future proving mind!

[nephilim]

Hi, as you can see from the above posts, there is no real right or wrong answer, it's all down to personal preference and something i've read here time and time again is 'the best scope u can get is the one you will use' ( as in, if you buy a 'monster' how likely is it that you'll drag it out on a whim or on those VERY rare occasions when there's a break in the cloud). I agree with Bingevader, get to a local meet & try a few scopes out, it'll save you alot of time & probably alot of cash. Good luck with whatever u get.

Steve

[Greek Tony]

Thank you everyone for all your advice, comments and suggestions, I am very grateful, cheers :-)

There's a lot to digest which isn't a surprise, I have a lot to consider and ponder about. I should have posted my welcome post on here which would have provided a bit more information. I thought I'd note down some points which I hope you could help me narrow down which road I should start going down.

1. Budget isn't really a problem (to a certain degree, 1-1.5k including accessories etc)

2. I already have some Helios Quantum 4 15 x 70 Binoculars, static mount, red torch, compass and all the right books & maps to read

3. I am going to learn the skies, navigation etc with my Bino's and books / maps for a good period before using a scope

4. I live in quite a light pollution heavy area but happy to travel to dark sites at short notice if need be and weekend trips with a club

5. So, ideally I need something I can travel with and setup relatively easily and quickly

6. I am quite happy to eventually have a static scope based at my house and another scope (possibly my 1st one) to travel with

7. Eventually I would like to do imaging but not for right now, possibly a year away, weather depending obviously as I want to spend a lot of time gazing / understanding first

8. I would like to view our solar system as clearly as possible and nearby stars with decent magnitudes, it's to get started with, I don't need to go hardcore right away!!

9. I don't want to have to upgrade soon after my first purchase but I understand there will be a compromise

10. I don't want a Go-To scope to start off with, I want to do the gazing manually to learn and understand

So ideally I would like something that I can take away with me due to where I live but doesn't mean I won't use it at home. Something that can be upgraded, to a certain degree to get used to additional benefits, but understand I will have to go better to get all the bits if needed.

Do I go for the 150, sort of best of both worlds for starters, learn a lot from it then upgrade in a year or so time? Use this scope to take away with me and get a higher specification scope like the 200 and leave at home, use that one to the next level of my experience and upgrade that one? What's the next step from the 200? How much are the 150's people have mentioned in this topic?

Sorry for so many questions, thanks again to everyone who's responded.

T

[toilandtrouble123]

the SW 150PL is £300 with the EQ3 mount. But do check the classifieds as well as astrobuysell.co.uk, you might find a second hand bargain.

Nat

[VigdisVZ]

Hi, as you can see from the above posts, there is no real right or wrong answer, it's all down to personal preference and something i've read here time and time again is 'the best scope u can get is the one you will use' ( as in, if you buy a 'monster' how likely is it that you'll drag it out on a whim or on those VERY rare occasions when there's a break in the cloud). I agree with Bingevader, get to a local meet & try a few scopes out, it'll save you alot of time & probably alot of cash. Good luck with whatever u get.

Steve

+1 because this man speaks the truth.

[Greek Tony]

Hi all, just a quick one and apologies if this is a silly question. If I was to buy 2 scopes, one to begin with, for looking at the planets / solar system etc, for learning on and for portability then another scope later on with a larger specification, to view deeper and fainter objects, and to be static, can I interchange the eyepieces between them? Would both scopes have to be from the same manufacturer or are they universal fittings?

Cheers,

T

[Biggazza88]

If both scopes take 1.25inch ep's they will work in both but if you but 2inch ep's they won't work well with a 1.25inch scope. The specs of the scopes you choose will tell you what size eps it takes and wether it can be adapted to use othe size.